var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad(); });
device = device.default;
//this function refreshes [adhesion] ad slot every 60 second and makes prebid bid on it every 60 seconds // Set timer to refresh slot every 60 seconds function setIntervalMobile() { if (!device.mobile()) return if (adhesion) setInterval(function(){ googletag.pubads().refresh([adhesion]); }, 60000); } if(device.desktop()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.tablet()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.mobile()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } googletag.cmd.push(function() { // Enable lazy loading with... googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ // Fetch slots within 5 viewports. // fetchMarginPercent: 500, fetchMarginPercent: 100, // Render slots within 2 viewports. // renderMarginPercent: 200, renderMarginPercent: 100, // Double the above values on mobile, where viewports are smaller // and users tend to scroll faster. mobileScaling: 2.0 }); });

Guidelines for Preparing an Effective Paralegal Resume

Most law firms avoid posting jobs on Indeed or LinkedIn due to high costs. Instead, they publish them on their own websites, bar association pages, and niche legal boards. LawCrossing finds these hidden jobs, giving you access to exclusive opportunities. Sign up now!

published February 26, 2013

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

The One-Page Rule

Certainly there is room for individual style; distinctive resumes that have a special flare are highly desirable within limits of acceptability. However, there is a quick-moving, to-the-point quality about all effective resumes, which is forced upon us by the One-Page Rule. The One-Page Rule, which grows logically from the 30-Second Rule, is simply, "Keep the resume from going over one page in length."

"I have done too much in my life to contain it on one page," protested one student. To which I responded: "The President of the United States could have a one-page resume!"

A well-written, highly edited resume goes through several phases. At its best, a resume is analyzed word by word. Each word should be essential to the particular description and the whole image. Is there another word that would fit better? Is this phrase too long? Could these two phrases be blended? Does that detail need to be in at all? Am I missing a crucial element to this description? Do all of these descriptions work to picture me as a viable paralegal candidate? As you go through this process, you will discover that your resume will likely get shorter.

Many two-page resumes are simply overwritten. They labor too long on past experiences that are only mildly relevant. Four-line descriptions can often be reduced to one. Some two-page resumes make too much use of white space and margins and thus waste space. Many techniques can be used to take the air out of two-page resumes. It is all a matter of editing to focus and bring out the key points. The sheer act of having to condense your background to one page automatically accomplishes for people what they could not have done without that discipline. The One-Page Rule is an automatic editor: Keep to it and you will see how quickly you develop the clarity and focus you need.

The 10-Year Rule and the Short/Long Rule

To fit in with the mandates of the 30-Second Rule and the One-Page Rule, the 10-Year Rule and the Short/Long Rule must exist. For the older paralegal applicant who has been in the working world for longer than 10 years, take heart in the fact that you have no special hidden requirement to cover more than the most recent 10 years. Some want to reach back farther than 10 years to include some meaningful past experience, but general reaction will be: "If you have to go back that far, is it really relevant experience?"

The Short/Long Rule is a corollary to the 10-Year Rule. Try to get at least three jobs on your resume (try not to fall short of that), but you need not go any longer than six jobs. There are obvious exceptional circumstances which might dictate violating these guidelines, but if you have only one page to work with, it is not advisable to go longer than six jobs for sheer lack of space. If you have fewer than three jobs, you certainly cannot invent past employment. However, there are volunteer experiences and educational endeavors which can add weight to the resume of a young person.

United States
Self analysis and skill transference

Below, we will discuss how you can analyze your skills and present them as benefits to your potential employer.

A paralegal applicant with five past jobs is faced with a genuine challenge in writing a resume; in fact, with concentration, this exercise can be accomplished fundamentally in 15 minutes. The first task is just to analyze all the activities that were involved in each job. As an example, a restaurant background, though seemingly simple, is actually multifaceted. There is the public component, the memory component, physical activity, inventory, balancing, handling numbers and orders, dealing with vendors, handling irate customers, and the developing of diplomatic and personable qualities. A job can be broken down in terms of activities, which in turn evolve into skills. Then, a benefit can be highlighted for the attorney: "This is a hard working person who can handle stress and won't fly off the handle the first time things get tense."

Grouping activities and skills occurs naturally as you analyze activities and skills from the different jobs. To help you with this task, take 15 minutes and do the following: describe all of your past employment and experience on the basis of the raw descriptions. After describing them, analyze them for skills and group them. Create a picture of the image that is developing. Emphasize skills and talents that would be particularly beneficial to a legal office or setting. As you do this, you will discover a picture of yourself that you might not have perceived before.

This process can be enlightening. After this kind of exercise, you will conclude that you have a viability you might not have realized before in quite the same way. This exercise not only helps you with your skill analysis, but it also helps you with your self-image. Most of us need to stop minimizing ourselves.

Lead with the most impressive, substantial element first and then follow with the less imposing element. Opt for resume samples of individuals leading with computer and word processing systems experience. Take a proper note of the description of certain jobs in great detail that are in a fully embellished way and try to understand the level of responsibility and technical skill.

Beware of redundancy and repetition! One of the most common mistakes made in the work experience section is to mindlessly describe the same type of job three or four different times. This is stupefying, unless it relates directly to the job you are seeking. If you have jobs that are basically the same, take advantage of that and line the jobs up and describe them with one short paragraph. In this situation, you may want to make more of your education or special skills; use white space artfully and make the look more appealing. The worst thing you can do is make the descriptions dense, repetitive, and crowded.
 

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
Gain an advantage in your legal job search. LawCrossing uncovers hidden positions that firms post on their own websites and industry-specific job boards—jobs that never appear on Indeed or LinkedIn. Don't miss out. Sign up now!

( 11 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)

What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.